Argyranthemum plant named ‘Supacher’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Argyranthemum  plant named ‘Supacher’, characterized by its compact, mounded, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants; freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant; anemone-type inflorescence form with purple-colored ray florets and red purple-colored disc florets that become light purple with development.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Supacher.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Supacher’.

The new Argyranthemum is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact Argyranthemum cultivars with numerous inflorescences, interesting inflorescence form, and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Argyranthemum originated from a cross-pollination by the Inventor in 1999, of a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as X97.554.1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as X97.1540.2, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Argyranthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in 2000. The selection of the new Argyranthemum was based on its attractive inflorescence form and ray floret coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia since October, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Argyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Argyranthemum has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be basic characteristics of ‘Supacher’ and distinguish the new Argyranthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact, mounded, upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.

2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants.

3. Freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant.

4. Anemone inflorescence form with purple-colored ray florets and red purple-colored disc florets that become light purple with development.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum have larger inflorescences than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Argyranthemum and the female parent selection differ in inflorescence form as plants of the female parent selection have double-type inflorescences. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have darker-colored ray florets than plants of the male parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the male parent selection in inflorescence form as plants of the male parent selection have daisy-type inflorescences.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of the cultivar Cobsing, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,541. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Cobsing in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum had darker-colored ray florets than plants of the cultivar Cobsing.

2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum and the cultivar Cobsing differed in inflorescence form as plants of the cultivar Cobsing had daisy-type inflorescences.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Argyranthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plants of ‘Supacher’ grown in a one-gallon container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of inflorescences of ‘Supacher’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averaged measurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif., in an outdoor nursery under full sunlight during winter and spring with day temperatures about 15° C. and night temperatures about 10° C. Plants were grown for about 16 weeks when the photographs and description were taken. Plants were pinched one time about five weeks after planting. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Argyranthemum frutescens cultivar Supacher.

Parentage:

Female or seed parent.—Proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as X97.544.1, not patented.

Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as X97.1540.2, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About three weeks at 20° C.

Root description.—Fibrous, fine, white in color.

Rooting description.—Freely branching, dense.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Inverted triangle; compact, mounded, upright and outwardly spreading plant form with dense foliage and inflorescences held above and beyond the foliage. Vigorous growth habit.

Plant height.—About 36 cm.

Plant width.—About 32 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 14 primary lateral branches; each with about five or six secondary lateral branches. Length: About 32 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Internode length: Vegetative stems, about 1.5 cm; flowering stems, about 1.5 cm. Aspect: Upright and outwardly spreading. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About 6.8 cm. Width: About 5.2 cm. Shape: Pinnatifid, deeply and finely incised. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; deeply and finely incised; sinuses parallel. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Petiole length: About 2 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 147B. Petiole, upper surface: 147B. Petiole, lower surface: 147C.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Anemone-type inflorescence form with ligulate ray florets. Disc and ray florets develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences held upright and outwardly on terminal and axillary peduncles. Inflorescences positioned perpendicular to the peduncles. Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences slightly fragrant; pungent, sour.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower from spring to early fall in Southern California; plants flower continuous during this period.

Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last about ten days on the plant.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about four or five buds and open inflorescences per lateral branch.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.7 cm. Depth (height): About 1.4 cm. Diameter of disc: About 2.5 cm. Receptacle height: About 5 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.3 cm.

Inflorescence buds, at stage of showing color.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 7 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 73A.

Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 23 arranged in a single whorl. Shape: Ligulate. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Aspect: Initially upright; when mature, about 90° from vertical; slightly reflexing with development. Color: When opening, upper surface: 78B. When opening, lower surface: 75C. Fully opened, upper surface: 78B; color becoming close to 75B to 75C with development. Fully opened, lower surface: 75B.

Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at the center of the inflorescence. Quantity per inflorescence: About 190. Shape: Tubular, enlarged; apex, five-pointed; base, fused. Length: About 1 cm. Diameter, apex: About 3 mm. Diameter, base: Less than 1 mm. Color: Apex: 60B; with development, 75A to 158D. Mid-section: 160B. Base: 157A.

Involucral bracts (phyllaries).—Appearance: Scale-like; margins, papery. Quantity per inflorescence: About 24. Length: About 2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color, upper surface: 138D. Color, lower surface: 137D.

Peduncle.—Strength: Moderately strong; wiry. Aspect: Upright to about 45° from vertical. Length, terminal inflorescence: About 14.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Quantity per floret: Five. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 12B. Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Quantity per floret: One. Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color: 12B. Style length: About 2 mm. Style color: 145D. Ovary color: 145D. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to Argyranthemums has not been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have been observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures from −1 to 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Supacher’, as illustrated and described. 